Student who protested at Starmers speech lambasts lack of action on Gaza

The 18-year-old student who protested against the Prime Minister’s speech at the Labour Party conference said he was moved to act by Sir Keir Starmer’s “sickening” lack of action in the Middle East.

Daniel Riley was a delegate and Labour Party member who was not acting on behalf of an organisation or protest group, but said the Labour leader was expressing “empty platitudes” when he called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The new Labour Government has suspended about 30 out of a total of 350 arms export licences to Israel, amid concerns they could be used in violation of international humanitarian law in the Gaza conflict.

But protesters have lined the exterior of the conference centre in Liverpool with signs accusing the Government of being “complicit in genocide”.

Mr Riley told reporters after he was released by security: “Every day we’re still sending British bombs and British bullets that are being used in Lebanon and in Gaza right now, and the Prime Minister, he could stop that, he could stop that right now, but he doesn’t.

“And he says that he wants things to stop, but he won’t lift a finger to actually stop it.”

Asked if he had planned to disrupt the leader’s speech, Mr Riley said: “No, I was a delegate, I’m a Labour Party member, I hoped I’d be one for life but I suspect not now.

“What’s happened, and just the complete failure of Keir Starmer and the Labour Party to address it, it’s just completely sickening.”

Listening to the Prime Minister’s speech, Mr Riley said: “I was just angry, I mean at myself I guess for not saying anything at the time, but again, like I say, just for him coming out to say he wanted a ceasefire, but not taking any of the actions.

“And I was just angry, in the end, I decided I would do it.”

In response to the disruption during his speech, Sir Keir said: “This guy’s obviously got a pass from the 2019 conference.”

He added: “While he’s been protesting, we’ve been changing the party. That’s why we’ve got a Labour Government.”

Mr Riley said he joined the party in 2022, under Sir Keir’s leadership.

He said: “I thought (Sir Keir) would be able to do what he said, to be a more moderate force that could win the election and still deliver change, but he hasn’t delivered change.

“You’ve got the same Tory corruption, sleaze, with all of this stuff about free clothes and free spectacles and free Taylor Swift concert tickets.”

Mr Riley said Sir Keir should be implementing a “complete suspension of arms sales to Israel, embargoes, sanctions, whatever it takes to stop this genocide that is currently happening, not just empty platitudes.”

Asked if he was happy with Sir Keir as Labour leader, Mr Riley said “absolutely not, no”.

He continued: “It’s not just (Keir) it’s the party more generally and the wider political establishment, for not being supportive and taking the action that is required to stop this genocide and to actually stop the war.”

He added: “I understand that people are uncomfortable in doing what I did, but I think that there needs to be a more vocal line from the party members saying ‘no, we can’t stand for this’.

“If you really are for a ceasefire, you need to take steps that are required to make that happen.”

When asked to clarify what he shouted during the speech, because of the ensuing noise from delegates that drowned out his criticism, Mr Riley said: “Not really sure myself, to be honest.

“Just saying that while he was talking about providing opportunities for children, children in Gaza and children in Lebanon are having British bombs and bullets rain down on them because he won’t lift a finger to stop them.”

Before Sir Keir’s speech, a group opposed to the Government’s approach to arms sales to Israel spray painted “genocide conference” on a security entrance at the conference centre.

Youth Demand claimed responsibility for the protest and said two of its supporters were taken away as they were writing the “conference” part of their message.

A Youth Demand spokesman said: “Labour is still arming Israel despite a majority of the public backing a complete arms embargo.

“Despite admitting there is a ‘clear risk’ of ‘serious violation of international humanitarian law’, they have spinelessly suspended less than 10% of arms licences.”

Published: 24/09/2024 by Radio NewsHub